thats true. you will be charged on the items commercial value, not what you paid. I spoke to customs before when I had a parcel in customs awaiting charging. They said the gov will normally bump up the price on the declared value anyway even if they don't open it.

You will then be charged VAT, import duty and on top of all this a handling fee for having to open and search your parcel (another aprox.£13.50).

ie. if you get caught it is probs cheaper to buy it on the high street

The commercial value is by its very nature what you paid. I have never heard of the government 'bumping up the price on the declared value'

Customs do not charge for searching your parcel.

i am only stating what parcelforce told me on the phone.

other ppl i am sure know otherwise

The people that work for these couriers know very little, if anything. Most of the time they are just admin staff.